Folding card file



Q M 319% WELLER 2,529,,7QD2

FOLDING CARD FILE Filed 00%. 2 4, .194? 2 Sheets-Sheet l w 5 R. D. MHLLER 2,5295%2 FOLDING CARD FILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING CARD FILE Ross Miller, Denver, Colo. Application October 24, 1947, Serial No. 781,785

Claims.

' This invention relates to filing devices employable as desk facilities for the storage and individually available retention of reference indicia, and more particularly to such devices adapted and arranged for the reception and orderly presentation of personal and professional cards of ordinary type, and has as an object to provide an improved card file of enhanced convenience and utility.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved desk facility card file of relatively large capacity in proportion to its size and bulk.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved desk facility card file characterized by ease and rapidity of individual card location and inspection therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved desk facility card file susceptible of practical development and embellishment as a pleasing and ornamental adjunct of marked practicality.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved desk facility card file adaptable for use with various automatic and selective ar-' rangements for the inspectable erection of the card elements filed therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved desk facility card file marked by ease and convenience of individual card insertion, removal, and replacement. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved desk facility card file that is simple of manufacture in desired sizes and capacities, facile of use, readily portable, sightly, and conducive to economy of time and enhanced user efficiency.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an open face or plan view of one simple embodiment of the invention as disposed for use. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the showing of Figure 1, broken lines indicating an alternative closed relation of the principal elements of the assembly. Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detail section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the indicated line 33 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a fragmentary, detail section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the indicated line 4-4 of Figure 1, the slide element of the assembly being shifted slightly from its position in said latter view. Figure 5 is a fragmentary, detail section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the indicated line 5-5 of Figure 1 and illustrating an alternative actuating slide arrangementan intermediate portion of the'view being broken away to conserve space. Figure 6 is a viewsimilar to Figure 5 illustrating a still further modified actuating slide arrangement. Figure 7 is a fragmentary, detail open face or plan view, on an enlarged scale, of an alternative embodiment of the invention arranged for automatic erection of the contained cards as an incident of file opening, broken lines indicating alternative positions assumed by certain of the illustrated elements when the file is closed. Figure 8 is a fragmentary, detail view, on an enlarged scale, of a typical rotatable rod and associated radial clip arrangement-employed in the invention. 7

. It is a well-established, usual practice for suppliers and all types of business and professional people to furnish to and leave with their customers, clients, and prospects cards in a somewhat standardized size and style identifying the business and location of the donor. An accumulation of such cards constitutes a body of useful information desired to be retained for future and frequent reference, and the instant invention is directed to theprovision of file means for the orderly accommodationand convenient inspection of such cards.

. The improved card file device, in its various specific embodiments and arrangements, is comprised as a foldable unit, simulating a book in general appearance, and is adapted to be exteriorly finished and ornamented in such sightly and pleasing manner as may be desired.

In the construction of the improvement according to the showings of Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, a pair of like, rigid rectangular panels In, of relatively considerable thickness, is hinged together at their adjacent long sides to close at times into registered superposition and to alternatively open into coplanar disposition of their inner faces. The panels Ill may be formed from any suitable material in any desired manner effective to produce the functionally desirable units, and said panels are similarly formed with shallow, rectangular recesses interrupting and opening through the major area of their inner faces so that each panel has the form of a shallow, open-top box when the unit is open and is marginally bounded by recess-defining flanges disposed for edge-registration when the unit is closed; Longitudinally of each panel I0 recess, a rib ll closes between the panel end flanges in spaced parallelism with the adjacent panel long side flange to define a laterally narrow compartment inwardly of and along one of the panel sides, and a similar rib I2 bisects the remaining panel recess area in spaced parallelism with the rib II to define two like panel compartments at the side of and each relatively wider than the first compartment between the rib I I and the adjacent panel side flange; said, ribs II and I2 having free edge margins coplanar with the associated panel inner or open face.

Journaled for rotation in the ribs I I and I2 and the panel side flange adjacent the rib I2 in upwardly-spaced relation with the floor of the panel recess, a plurality of like rods I3 is disposed in spaced, parallel succession laterally of each panel ID in such number as to panel recess and stop somewhat short of the recess lower end; each rod I3 laterally traversing the two like compartments separated by the rib I2 and end-projecting into the compartment between the rib II and the adjacent panel side flange. The rods I3 mount and operatively support the cards to befiled,to which end a pair of end-opening spring clips IA, of any suitable specific construction is fixed, as bymeans of welding or brazing in spaced, coplanar relation to and in radial extension from each rod I3 portion bridging a compartment on each side of the rib I2, so that a card I5 edge-entered within each pair of clips I4 is firmly engaged and supported radially of the rod I3 to rotate withthe latter through an arc of slightly less than one hundred fill the major length'of the 4 through the agency of the users finger in engagement with an edge or corner of a card, but the invention contemplates more efficient and effective means, in a variety of particular constructions, to elevate the cards for inspection, as hereinafter described.

The actuating arrangement according to Figures l, 2, 3 and 4 is designed to individually and successively elevate the cards carried by the successive' rods I3, to hold any selected card or pair of cards elevated for inspection, and to return all of the cards to compartment-housed position, through simple manipulation of a slide member.

As shown, the end of each rod I3 projecting within the narrower compartment between the rib II and adjacent panel side flange is formed as or equipped with a fixedly-related, radiallyand eighty degrees between housed, reverse face exposed relation within the associated compartment when the card free margins are directed toward the panel lower edge and somewhat projecting, obverse face exposed relation relative to said compartment when the card free margins are d rected toward the panel upper edge; each rod I3 thus mounting two cards I5, one in each of the panel wider compartments, as coplanar, simultaneously-actuatable units. The

relatively close spacing of the rods I3 results in an overlapping of the spring clips I4, and the cards I5 carried thereby, when said rods are similarly rotated to either limit of their operative range, and the space in the card-accommodating compartments between the lowermost rod I3 and the lower edge flange of the panel is wide enough to permit the card or cards carried by said lowermost rod to fully enter the compartment space without interference when the rod is rotated to present the card free margin toward the said panel lower edge flange, thus providing for fully housed reception of the successive overlapped cards within the compartment, while at the upper edge of the panel the spacing between the uppermost rod I3 and the panel upper edge flange is such as to dispose said flange as a ledge or abutment against which the spring clips of said uppermost rod engage to project the associated card or cards I5 at an upward and outward inclination from their compartment for convenient view of the card obverse face when the rod is rotated to direct the card free margin toward the panel upper edge, the progressively lower cards overlapping on and being successively exposed at inclinations conforming with that of the cards carried by the uppermost rod.

As thus far described, the assembly may function to house and retain cards in an orderly manner permitting of individual card inspection through manipulation of the rod, clip, and card units by successive flipping thereof accomplished enlarged, cylindrical terminal I6 disposed with its cylindrical surface spaced above the floor of the accommodating recess. Adjacent the rib H and beneath the rod terminals [5, the recess floor is provided with a shallow, longitudinal groove for the slidable accommodation of a rib I 'I depending from and longitudinally of one margin of a slide plate I8 adapted to be moved in thus-guided relation within and longitudinally along said narrower compartment with one of its edge portions beneath and in clearing relation below the rod terminals I6. An ear of lug I9 fixedly upstands from the plate I8 within said narrower compartment at one side of and in position to clear the ends of the rod terminals I 6 and functions as a grip engageable by the fingers of an operator for manipulation of the slide longitudinally of the compartment, and a relatively short, friction block 20' preferably of sponge rubber, or the like, is fixed to and upstands from the margin of the plate l8 beneath the terminals I6 in a thickness and disposition effective to operatively engage successively with and thereby rotate said terminals as the slide plate is moved. The block 20 has a length in the direction of slide reciprocation on the order of one-half the terminal I6 circumference, so that, the slide being at the upper limit of its range of travel with its block 20 between the uppermost terminal I 6 and the panel upper edge flange and the rods I3 being all rotated to direct the card free margins toward the panel lower end, initial travel of the slide from its upper and toward its lower travel limit serves through the agency of the friction block 20 to engage with and rotate through a half circle the terminal I8 first encountered. thereby rotating the associated rod I3 and swinging the cards carried thereby to exposure of their obverse faces, to clear said terminal with its associated cards exposed for inspection, to engage with and correspondingly actuate the next successive terminal I6, and to repeat the cycle until all the cards have been elevated and successively swung out of their compartment-housed position and into view for inspection, it being obvious that any given card may be arrested and held erect for reference by stopping the slide when the friction block 20 is in actuating engagement with the terminal I5 controlling the position of said card. As is readily apparent, travel of the slide from the lower and to the upper limit of its reciprocatory range, or in such direction from any intermediate slide position, reverses the action above described and serves to return the cards to housed relation within their compartments with their free margins directed toward the panel lower edge flange.

Operatively analogous to the foregoing, the modification according to Figure 5 is adapted to simultaneously actuate all of the terminals [6 alike and to correspondingly move the associated cards simultaneously. The modified construction differs from the slide mechanism hereinabove described only in that the rib l1, slide plate It, and friction block 20 are replaced by respectively like units ll, l8, and 26' of extended lengths sufiicient to underlie all of the terminals It at once, thereby providing simultaneous frictional engagement of the block 20 with all of said terminals so that manual displacement of the slide assembly longitudinally of its compartment is reflected as simultaneous and corresponding arcuate displacement of the cards carried by the rods I3.

Operatively identical with the arrangement according to Figure 5 and structurally adaptable to function with either slide plate H3 or l8, the arrangement according to Figure 6 is designed to provide a positive, non-slipping drive for rotation of the rods !3 in reaction to slide travel, said drive resulting from substitution of toothed pinions 16 for the smooth, cylindrical terminals iii and replacement of the blocks 2!! or 20' by means of a toothed rack 20" on the slide plate in me hing or meshable relation with said pinions.

When the device is constituted for simultaneous and corresponding actuation of all of the cards associated with a given panel In, as by means of either arrangement according to the showings of Fi ures 5 and 6, the short slide travel necessary to fully expose or retract the cards makes feasible an arrangement wherethrough the card actuation is responsive to opening or closing of the hingedly-associated panels, opening or separation of the panels resulting in elevation and exposure of the cards and closing of the panels to ether resulting in return of the cards to compartment-housed position. and the showing of Figure '7 typifies a structural organization effective to such end. As shown in Figure '7. the panels Iii with their compartments, rods l3, clips i4, terminals I5, and slide assembly using the extended friction blocks 20' are individually comprised as hereinbefore set forth, but instead of directly interhinging adiacent margins of the two panels ID. a backing member or strip 2! is provided in hinged assoiciation with and separating relation between said panels so that the latter close together when swung each through an arc of ninety degrees and into perpendicular relation with the member 2|. In place of the actuating ear or lug I 9, each slide mem er or plate i8 is equipped with an apertured ear 22 upstanding perpendicularly from its up ermost end and an apertured anchor lug 23 is fixed to the backing member 2! in laterally oiT-set and longitudinally inward relation with each said ear 22. Thus, when a panel in is coplanar with the backing member 2| the distance between the ear 22 thereof and the diagonally remote lug 23 is at a maximum and susceptible of decrease as said panel is swung into perpendicular relation with the member 2|, so that a rigid link 24 swivelled at one end in the car 22 and at its other end in the diagonally remote lug 23 and held to constant length between said end connections is effective to shift the associated slide assembly, and consequently actuate the cards of the file as above described, as the panels ii are caused to swing relative to the backing member in opening or closing of the file.

Since changes, variations, and modifications .6 the'f specific form, construction," and arrange meiit 'of the elements shown-and described may be had without departing from the spirit of my invention, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, ratherthan by any details of the illusstr'ative showing and foregoing description.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. A book-type card file of the character described comprising a pair of hingedly-associated panels closable into marginally-registered superposition and separable into coplanar relation of their inner meeting faces, shallow compartments longitudinally disposed within and opening through the inner meeting faces of said panels, exposable, upon separation of the latter, spacedly-parallel, like rods journaled for independent rotation in laterally traversing relation with said compartments, card-mounting clips fixed to and radially of said rods within certain of said compartments to nest in overlapping succession wholly therewithin at corresponding rotational limits of their supporting rods, and means wholly within and shiftable longitudinally of a panel side compartment for the selective rotation of said rods.

2. A book-type card file of the character described comprising a pair of hingedly-associated panels closable into marginally-registered superposition and separable into coplanar relation of their inner meeting faces, a relatively narrower side compartment and a pair of like, relatively wider compartments longitudinally disposed within and opening through the inner meeting face of each panel for exposure upon separation of the panels, spacedly-parallel, like rods journaled for independent rotation in laterally traversing relation with said wider compartments and end projection within said narrower compartment, card-mounting clips fixed to and radially of the rod portions within said wider compartments to nest in overlapping succession wholly therewithin at corresponding rotational limits of their supporting rods. rod actuating elements on the ends of said rods, wholly within said narrower compartment, and means wholly within and shiftable longitudinally of said narrower compartment in retained relation under and in engagement with said actuating elements for the selective rotation of said rods.

3. A card file as set forth in claim 2, wherein said actuating elements are radially-enlarged, smooth cylinders fixedly coaxial with the rod ends and said shiftable means is a slide assembly guided for reciprocation in said narrower compartment beneath said cylinders and furnished with a relatively short friction block successively engageable with and to individually rotate the cylinders encountered as an incident of its slide travel.

4. A card file as set forth in claim 2, wherein said actuating elements are radially-enlarged, smooth cylinders fixedly coaxial with the rod ends and said shiftable means is a slide assembly guided for reciprocation in said narrower compartment beneath said cylinders and furnished with an elongate friction block engaged with and to simultaneously rotate all of said cylinders as an incident of its slide travel.

5. A card file as set forth in claim 2, wherein said panels are hinged to opposite, parallel margins of a backing member, and the shiftable means of each panel is linked to an anchor on the backing member for reciprocatory actuation as .an incident of panel articulation between coplanar and perpendicular relation with said The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

8 UNITED STATES PATENTS member Number Name Date 517,123 Nash Mar. 2'7, 1894 ROSS WLLER" 5 525,719 Ray se t. 11, 1894 F0115) NOV. 21, 760,58] Strumpf May 24, 1904 

